OMSLAG 5.indd - IUCN

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project owners, on the other hand, have to be willing to adapt to the rules and regulations that come with hosting organized groups. IUCN NL found that many tour operators are either unwilling or unable to put in the extra time and effort necessary to work with parties that are new to hosting tour groups. Sometimes their current itineraries were successful and they found there was no need for change. And sometimes projects were simply too far away from the other highlights that were visited during the trip. An earlier partnership between Sawadee and a conservation project ended after just two seasons. As it turned out, the conservation NGO could not comply with the set schedule of Sawadee. The only guide they had was in charge of many of the conservation activities as well, and the tourism activities were not his first priority. The project site could be only visited on days convenient to the NGO. Because this meant that Sawadee could not take all its groups to the site, they ended the partnership. In this paragraph, we only described links between Dutch outbound tour operators and projects in destination countries. Another, possibly more effective link is for conservation projects to seek cooperation with inbound tour operators in their own country. Inbound tour operators can easily assess the project and the organization, especially when they are already active in the same area as the conservation project. Cerro Blanco Protected Forest 4. 3 70 71 What are the requirements of tour operators? Tour operators sell a complete travel package and it is important for them to be able to deliver everything that is in their brochures. Even if a part of the trip is organized by a local partner, the customers will hold the tour operator responsible for perceived discrepancies. Nowadays, tourists file complaints or even take the tour operator to court when a trip does not live up to their expectations. Therefore, it is very important that local partners are reliable. They have to be customer-oriented, deliver the agreed services, and ensure that the visitors are treated well. This means that projects have to be familiar with the requirements of the tour operators they work with. When assessing a new tour or excursion, tour operators have the following requirements: Requirements of tour operators: • Matching projects to a type of visitor • Attractive site • Location and accessibility of the site • Facilities and accommodation • Professional guides • Communication • Local agents • Price level Figure 9. Requirements of tour operators First of all, the project should be applicable to the type of tour in question. It goes without saying that participants in a cultural heritage tour will probably be less interested in visiting a project where a specific species of bird is protected. The site must be attractive for visitors, there must be something interesting to see or do, and it must be offered in a professional way. Ideally, the project should be located near their existing itinerary, but if a site is very interesting, tour operators might be willing to change their routes. The infrastructure around a project site is also very important. The project site should be accessible throughout the year and it should not take too much time to reach it. Especially when a site is located in a remote area, the quality of
4. 4 accommodations, the catering and the sanitary facilities are very important. Not all tourists like the idea of going back to basics for a part of their holiday. The visitor centres should be well maintained and information and interpretation should be available in several languages. The quality of the guides is also important: it is crucial to have an enthusiastic, inspiring guide and preferably one who speaks a language that the group understands. The project sites should have telephone, fax and email. Tour operators want to be able to communicate with the site directly. In countries where this could be a problem, a reliable local agent is essential to take care of the arrangements. And finally, just offering good intentions is not enough, the price should also be right. A price comparison can be used to make sure that the project can compete with other attractions in the region. Sometimes, a project can demand a higher price because it complies with the requirements of the tour operator. Domestic tourism Tour operators evaluate and change their programs regularly and their feedback will help to improve the product. But don’t forget the individual visitor; they are often most willing to tell you what improvements they think necessary. Many of the projects supported by IUCN NL tend to focus on the international market. But the domestic market might be just as interesting or even more so. Although the revenues from international tourism are usually higher, attracting domestic tourists has many advantages. You need fewer facilities, as visitors can come for a daytrip. Domestic visitors do not expect such high standards of comfort and quality. There is no language problem as both the guide and the visitors speak the same language. The international market can be very turbulent: political unrest or natural disasters can change a popular destination into an unpopular one in no time. The domestic market will not fluctuate as much. Moreover, hosting local and regional visitors will also raise the awareness of a group of people who may directly influence the conservation of the site. This is illustrated by a project of the conservation NGO Doga Dernegi in a National Park on the Turkish west coast. Within the park lie the extensive salt lagoons of the Büyük Menderes Delta and the Mediterranean pine forests, maquis and mountainous grasslands of the Samsun Mountain. Canoe excursion at Pueto Hondo 72 73 The site is listed by IUCN as a Key Biodiversity Area and Important Bird Area. Although the area is officially protected, mass tourism and, more importantly, the building of summer houses form a considerable threat. Most visitors only visit the coastline in the national park and the value of the rest of the park is hardly recognised. Apart from improving the trails and visitor information, Doga Dernegi decided to organize excursions for children in the region. All the participating children received a daypack and they had a wonderful day in the park. The idea behind these excursions was that these children will transfer their enthusiasm to their parents, and that they in their turn will start to view the park as a good spot for family outings. This growth in domestic tourism will counter pressure from investors who want to buy land for building purposes.
Page 1 and 2: In many areas where biodiversity is
Page 3 and 4: Table of contents Inroduction 4 1.
Page 5 and 6: 1 8 9 A double-edged sword The deve
Page 7 and 8: plantations in the vicinity. All th
Page 9 and 10: 1. 4 NVT steers clear of the politi
Page 11 and 12: of one of the macaque groups. Becau
Page 13 and 14: 2 24 25 People and participation Co
Page 15 and 16: 2. 3 Judging from these characteris
Page 17 and 18: Expectations played an important ro
Page 19 and 20: collecting and burning waste - for
Page 21 and 22: from tourism to compensate fisherme
Page 23 and 24: There is not one single approach to
Page 25 and 26: The department establishes forest p
Page 27 and 28: In the White Desert area, described
Page 29 and 30: 3. 4 bird colony through incubating
Page 31 and 32: ecause the communities are so far a
Page 33 and 34: visitor. Each type of visitor has s
Page 35: The advantage for tour operators is
Page 39 and 40: Findings Most of the projects in th
Page 41 and 42: References C. Ashley, D. Roe and H.
Page 43 and 44: • Supporting and promoting new fi
Page 45 and 46: Park in Northern Sumatra, is one of
Page 47 and 48: the conservation of the remnants of

OMSLAG 5.indd - IUCN

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